Wadham Cottage, Bourton-on-the-Water

Wadham Cottage sits right in the heart of Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds, and it makes an easy base for a dog-owning couple or small family who want stone-cottage charm with walks straight from the door. As a whole-house rental you get the run of the place to yourselves, so there are no shared corridors or lobbies to negotiate with a dog in tow - you arrive, settle in, and head out.

Dogs are welcome and the terms are upfront: there is a charge of £25 per dog, payable at the cottage. Bourton-on-the-Water is built for four-legged company, sitting on the River Windrush with green banks to sniff along and plenty of dog-friendly pubs and cafes within a couple of minutes' walk. The dog-specific feedback here comes from a single stay, but it is warm: the cottage was described as very dog friendly, with lovely walks leading out from the doorstep and a much quieter feel first thing in the morning and again in the late afternoon, once the day visitors have thinned out.

The guest feedback also makes clear how relaxed the cottage is about where dogs go. That is a plus if your dog is used to having the run of a house, but it cuts both ways: a guest with a serious animal allergy found the living room unusable and ended up sitting in the kitchen with the doors and windows open, so it is worth knowing if anyone in your party is sensitive to dander. Access and parking are on the narrow side, which is normal for a period village cottage, and check-in can be later in the day - handy to plan around if you are arriving with a tired dog.

Wadham Cottage suits owners of steady, house-trained dogs who want a characterful village bolt-hole with strolls, pubs and the river on the doorstep. It earns a 4.5/5 paw rating.